Pelargonium plant named ‘PECZ0023’

ABSTRACT

A new  Pelargonium  plant named ‘PECZ0023’ particularly distinguished by dark red-purple colored inflorescences with large semi-double florets in large umbels, held above dark green foliage, on a vigorous upright plant.

Latin name of the genus and species of the plant claimed: Pelargonium x hortorum.

Varietal denomination: ‘PECZ0023’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new Pelargonium, botanically known as Pelargonium x hortorum, and hereinafter referred to by the variety name ‘PECZ0023’.

‘PECZ0023’ is a product of a planned breeding program. The new cultivar ‘PECZ0023’ has dark red-purple colored inflorescences with large semi-double florets in large umbels, held above dark green foliage, on a vigorous upright plant.

‘PECZ0023’ originates from a hybridization in a controlled breeding program made in July 2015, in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands. The female parent was an unpatented plant of Pelargonium x hortorum parentage identified as ‘PEZ-AZ3272-07’ with more scarlet-red colored florets and more branching when compared to ‘PECZ0023’.

The male parent of ‘PECZ0023’ was a patented plant of Pelargonium x hortorum parentage ‘Amri pur’, described in U.S. Plant Pat. No. 20,896 with lighter green foliage when compared to ‘PECZ0023’. The resultant seed was sown in December 2015.

‘PECZ0023’ was selected as one flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross in May 2016 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

The first act of asexual reproduction of ‘PECZ0023’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were propagated from the initial selection in June 2016 in a greenhouse in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTION

Horticultural examination of plants grown from cuttings of the plant initiated in May 2016 in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands and continuing thereafter, has demonstrated that the combination of characteristics as herein disclosed for ‘PECZ0023’ are firmly fixed and are retained through successive generations of asexual reproduction.

‘PECZ0023’ has not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations in environment such as temperature, light intensity, and day length.

A Plant Breeder's Right for this cultivar has not been applied for. ‘PECZ0023’ has not been made publicly available prior to the effective filing date of this application, notwithstanding any disclosure that may have been made less than one year prior to the effective filing date of this application by the inventor or another who obtained ‘PECZ0023’ directly from the inventor.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the basic characteristics of the new variety. The combination of these characteristics distinguishes this Pelargonium as a new and distinct variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographic drawings show typical flower and foliage characteristics of ‘PECZ0023’ with colors being as true as possible with an illustration of this type.

The photographic drawings show in FIG. 1, 3 flowering plants of the new variety and

in FIG. 2, a close-up of an inflorescence.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The plant descriptions and measurements were taken in Enkhuizen, The Netherlands in early July 2020 under natural light. These plants were approximately 20 weeks old and were grown in a 12 cm pots, in a greenhouse trial. The plant shown in the photograph is about 14 weeks old growing in a ¼ gallon pot in a greenhouse in Gilroy, Calif. The photographs were taken in March 2019.

Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart (R.H.S.) 2001.

TABLE 1 DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE NEW VARIETY ‘PECZ0023’ AND A MOST SIMILAR VARIETY ‘Clips Vio’ (U.S. Plant ‘PECZ0023’ Pat. No. 12,945) Growth: Very vigorous Vigorous Corolla color Color change with age No color change with age change with age: toward blueish purple (RHS 72A) Pollen color: Brown (RHS 172A) Dark brown (RHS 166A)

-   Plant:     -   -   Form, growth and habit.—Upright-mounding growth habit.         -   Plant height.—24-30 cm.         -   Plant height (inflorescence included).—23-45 cm.         -   Plant width.—25-30 cm. -   Roots:     -   -   Number of days to initiate roots.—15-18 days at about 22             degrees C.         -   Number of days to produce a rooted cutting.—21-23 days at 22             degrees C.         -   Type.—Fine, fibrous, free branching.         -   Color.—RHS N155B but whiter. -   Foliage:     -   -   Variegation.—Absent.         -   Immature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 138A.         -   Immature leaf, lower surface.—Closest to RHS 138B.         -   Mature leaf, color upper surface.—Closest to RHS 137A.         -   Mature leaf, color lower surface.—Closest to RHS 137C.         -   Length.—7.5-10 cm.         -   Width.—7.5-11.5 cm.         -   Shape.—Cordate.         -   Base shape.—Cordate.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margin.—Slightly dentate.         -   Texture upper side.—Hirsute.         -   Texture lower side.—Hirsute.         -   Leaf zonation color.—Variably distinct RHS 187B.         -   Color of veins, upper surface.—RHS 137A, largely indistinct.         -   Color of veins, lower surface.—RHS 144A, at base slightly             mottled close to RHS 176C, becoming indistinct.         -   Pattern of veining.—Palmate.         -   Petiole color.—RHS 143A, mottled RHS 176C.         -   Petiole length.—6-7.5 cm.         -   Diameter of petiole.—0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Pilose, hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Stem:     -   -   Quantity of branches.—2-5.         -   Color of stem.—Close to RHS 143B, mottled RHS 187C.         -   Length of stem.—18-28 cm.         -   Diameter.—0.5 cm.         -   Length of internodes.—1-4 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely hirsute, pilose, glandular hairs. -   Peduncle:     -   -   Color of peduncle.—RHS 187A-B.         -   Length of peduncle.—12-16 cm.         -   Peduncle diameter.—0.3-0.5 cm.         -   Texture.—Hirsute, glandular hairs. -   Pedicel:     -   -   Color of pedicel.—RHS 183A.         -   Length of pedicel.—2.5-3.5 cm.         -   Diameter of pedicel.—0.15-0.2 cm.         -   Texture.—Sparsely pilose, glandular hiars. -   Bud (just before opening):     -   -   Color.—RHS 52A.         -   Length.—1.1-1.3 cm.         -   Width.—0.6-0.8 cm.         -   Shape.—Elliptical. -   Inflorescence:     -   -   Type.—Umbel; semi-spherical or nearly semi-spherical.         -   Lastingness of individual flowers.—7-9 days at 18° C.             temperature.         -   Number of inflorescences per plant.—6-12, with 3-7 immature             umbels in various stages.         -   Fragrance.—None.         -   Umbel diameter.—8-14 cm.         -   Umbel depth.—7-10 cm. -   Corolla:     -   -   Form.—Semi-double.         -   Number of petals.—6-9.         -   Diameter of flower.—4-5 cm.         -   Depth of flower.—1.5-2 cm.         -   Color upper petals, upper surface.—Closest to RHS N66A at             apex at anthesis, aging to RHS N74A, and RHS 42A at the             base, veined RHS 53B.         -   Color upper petals, lower surface.—Closest to RHS N66A at             apex at anthesis, aging to RHS N74A, RHS 45B at the base,             veined RHS 46A.         -   Length of upper petals.—2.2-2.5 cm.         -   Width of upper petals.—1.8-2.9 cm.         -   Color lower petals, upper surface.—In between RHS N66A and             RHS N74A, aging to RHS 72A.         -   Color lower petals, lower surface.—RHS N66B, aging to RHS             71A.         -   Length of lower petals.—2-2.3 cm.         -   Width of lower petals.—1.8-2 cm, petaloids variably smaller             and with variable shape.         -   Petal shape.—Obovate to spathulate.         -   Apex shape.—Rounded.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Base.—Attenuate.         -   Petal texture.—Papillose on both surfaces. -   Calyx:     -   -   Number of sepals.—5.         -   Color of sepals.—RHS 183A, RHS 144A at the apex.         -   Length of sepals.—1-1.4 cm.         -   Width of sepals.—0.2-0.4 cm.         -   Sepal shape.—Lanceolate to linear.         -   Apex shape.—Acute.         -   Margins.—Mostly fused.         -   Texture, upper surface.—Glabrous.         -   Lower surface.—Glandular hairs, hirsute. -   Reproductive organs: -   Gynoecium:     -   -   Pistil.—RHS 185A.         -   Length.—0.6-0.7 cm.         -   Style color.—RHS 185A.         -   Style length.—0.2-0.3 cm.         -   Stigma color.—RHS 185A.         -   Ovary color.—RHS 144A, mottled RHS 183A.         -   Ovary length.—0.4-0.5 cm.         -   Ovary diameter.—0.2 cm. -   Androecium:     -   -   Number of stamens.—5-7 with 1-6 staminoids.         -   Color of filaments.—RHS N155A fading to RHS 53B at the apex.         -   Length filaments.—0.3-0.8 cm.         -   Anther color.—RHS 52B.         -   Length of anthers.—0.3 cm.         -   Color of pollen.—RHS N172A.         -   Pollen amount.—Abundant.         -   Fertility/seed set.—Has not been determined to date.         -   Disease/pest resistance.—Has not been determined to date. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Pelargonium plant named ‘PECZ0023’ substantially as illustrated and described herein. 